Uncompetitive American Schools: Causes and Cures. Publication Series No. 12.

Walberg, Herbert J.

This chapter concentrates on policies that increase the efficiency of schools rather than just more spending. The first focus is on the causes of educational inefficiency. These include lack of standards and accountability, centralization, unaccountable management and labor, federally induced inefficiency, and nonmarket inefficiency. Steps policymakers can take to increase productivity are: (1) focus schools on learning; (2) apply principles of effective instruction; (3) increase the amount of instruction; (4) ensure quality instruction; (5) improve the organization of work and instruction; (6) employ uniform standards; (7) allow for student differences; (8) work to overcome "Matthew effects" of increasing ability differences; (9) group students in appropriate ways; (10) develop external examinations; (11) hold educators accountable; (12) incorporate appropriate incentives; and (13) abolish or voucherize federal education programs. Particular attention is given to the role of privatization, which might better satisfy educational requirements for all but the special interests of public school providers and defenders of the status quo. The evidence for the superior achievement of private schools suggests enlarging their numbers with publicly subsidized vouchers. (Contains three figures.) (SLD)